The Night She Can't Remember
by Bobapearl
Summary: It was said to be the Christmas party of the year, a night nobody would ever possibly forget. But unfortunately for poor Kyoko, she can't recall any of it. Not what she heard, what she said, or even worse, what she did. The only pieces of evidence that remained were her none-too-pleasant hangover and one shocking picture that made that night all too real...
1. Chapter 1: The Following Morning

Happy holidays, everyone! I hope you all have been having a great time with your family and friends. It's been so long since I've written a story and now that I finally have a break from school, I can now return to my love for Skip Beat by writing about my all time favorite characters. This one will be a shorter story than I normally write, but I hope you will all enjoy it just the same. Thanks again for all the support! Please Read and Review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

* * *

"Ahhh…" Kyoko groaned weakly as she curled her head into her chest. She had never felt so miserable in her life. Her head throbbed as if someone was pounding it with a meat cleaver, her eyes were squeezed tight against the blinding light that she knew would come to greet her as soon as she opened them, and her throat was as dry as the Sahara desert. Groaning again into her pillow, she was about to pull the thick covers over her head when it was suddenly wrenched away from her grasp.

"MO! KYOKO! GET UP ALREADY!"

"Moko-san," Kyoko whined as she covered her now-ringing ears with both hands. "Please don't yell...my head hurts."

She harrumphed. "Well no wonder," Kanae chided unsympathetically as she crouched down upon her calves and pulled her friend's hands away from her face. "Serves you right for drinking so much last night."

"Drinking?" Kyoko repeated weakly, curling herself into an even tighter ball.

"Yes, drinking. At the rate you were going, I'm surprised you're actually alive."

Confused beyond reason, Kyoko tentatively opened one eye and was nearly burned alive from the bright glare from the open windows. She moaned again and flipped herself over until her face was completely pressed against her pillow.

"MO!" Kanae shouted as she roughly rolled her friend back. "Enough already! Get up!"

"Moko-san, can you please shut the blinds?" Kyoko whimpered.

Kanae stood up and crossed her arms irritably. "NO. Thanks to you, I need to air out my room from the stench you brought home last night."

"Stench? What are you—?"

Jumping to action, Kyoko quickly lifted her head and forcefully opened her eyes. Squinting and rubbing her head with one hand, she rose to a sitting in a position and scanned her surroundings. There was a white desk in one corner, a neatly made bed on the opposite wall, and a closet brimming with clothes. All in all, this wasn't her room.

Grimacing from the sharp throb in her head that seemed to return tenfold, Kyoko ran her fingers through her hair and said, "What am I doing in your room, Moko-san?"

Kanae snorted. "Wow, you really don't remember a thing, do you?"

She gazed up at her towering friend who was already dressed in a delicate blue dress with her dark tresses combed off to one side. Kyoko shook her head pathetically at the sight of her and murmured, "Not really…"

"Not even the Christmas party?"

And that was when it finally clicked.

"_The Christmas party…"_

It was the end of the year LME extravaganza that President Lory threw in honor of everyone's hard work. Every single person, from the actors to the office workers to the help, was invited to his large mansion for what many people deemed to be the party of the year. The days that led up to the occasion practically crackled with excitement. If anyone knew President Lory, they would whole-heartedly understand that he'd pull out just about every stop to make this a night that will go down in history.

Of course, being the simple-minded girl she was, Kyoko had no plans on showing up. She was never comfortable at events like these when the time called to socialize and mingle. But after receiving the flamboyant invitation that was personally delivered by a group of green elves and Santa Clause himself (whom she highly suspected to be the president), Kyoko knew she didn't really have a choice in the matter.

Kanae had undoubtedly felt the same as her friend and had no desire to attend either. But considering there was no way out of the predicament, the two decided to at least have fun preparing for it by shopping and hitting the salon. The hours before the start of the party, however, were what Kyoko remembered most.

With her flaming hair straightened and elegantly held up by a shimmering crystal clip on one side, Kyoko chose to wear a deep ruby gown that left her slender shoulders bare and elegantly pooled at the feet of her black stilettos. Kanae, whose hair was also pinned up into soft curls, chose a beautiful dress with a sweet-heart neckline that hit right at her knees and flowed like a wave of ivory satin. So even though Kyoko dreaded the party, she couldn't help but enjoy the time she spent with her best friend. For the first time in her life, she finally felt like a regular teenager instead of a girl too mature beyond her years.

By eight o'clock that night, Kanae and Kyoko were promptly picked up at Darumaya by President Lory's private limo service. Unable to hold back their gasp of awe when the car rolled up, the two reluctantly climbed in and nearly felt their jaws drop to the carpeted floor at the heavenly sight before them. They weren't sitting in a car. They were sitting in a pad, decked with a thin plasma television, a fancy stereo system, and a leather couch that looped around the entire back area.

With so much to gawk at, the ride to President Lory's home didn't take nearly as long as they thought it would. But as soon as they stepped out, the girls realized with wide eyes that the glorious limo instantly paled in comparison to the decorations around the president's large estate.

Coated with what looked like real snow, the house glimmered in the moonlight like a white winter castle. Bright lights were strung all around the border and numerous Christmas figurines were smartly placed around the front yard. A winding, cobbled path led to the glittery front door that had a large green wreath attached to the top.

The view inside was even more breathtaking. The party was held on the fifth floor in a giant ballroom with top-to-bottom glass windows that were frosted with ice to give them a more wintery feel. Large, diamond-encrusted chandeliers dressed in holly hung from the ceiling and at every wall there sat a large white table filled with every kind of Christmas-influenced food known to man.

At least two hundred people were already on the dance floor and another couple of hundred people could have still fit comfortably if necessary. Classical music from the hired orchestra, whose members were all dressed in white and amusing red Santa hats, swept across the colossal space, creating an atmosphere that was both warm and inviting.

Kyoko and Kanae were right to decide on dressing fancy for the occasion because every guest had obviously thought the same. All the women wore some type of gown, whether flashy or plain, embroidered or beaded while the men donned tuxedos or suits. And to Kyoko's dismay, many people had approached her from across the dance floor and enthusiastically complimented her on her choice of dress, from her friend Itsumi to senior actor Kajima who oddly kept her company for most of the beginning of the party.

But the one compliment that really made her night came from someone who didn't arrive until much later. With just barely a foot inside the room, he instantly stole everyone's attention as they all turned in unison at his silent arrival. In a crisp tux of black and white with red holly cleverly pinned at his breast pocket, Tsuruga Ren easily overtook the show. Even Kyoko couldn't stop herself from gawking as he smoothly made his way across the glistening floor with his best friend and manager Yashiro in tow.

When he casually met her wide-eyed gaze, Ren flashed such a breath-taking smile in her direction that Kyoko was sure she was going to be blind forever. But instead of turning away, she shyly stood before him and bowed her head low in greeting. And in a voice that she couldn't help but compare to wind chimes, he said with softened eyes:

"You look lovely."

The present-day Kyoko pressed her face into her hands, feeling the heat pool at her cheeks from the memory. Even now, she could recall every detail from that very moment—his warm gaze, the way her heart thumped loudly in her chest, and the intense trembling in her knees. But oddly enough, the events that followed after were incredibly fuzzy. The only thing that really registered in her mind was that the nervousness she had felt from his arrival had slowly dissipated as the night passed.

"Mo, how far back can you remember?" Kanae piped in when she realized her friend wasn't going to start talking again.

Shaking her head, she replied, "Only the beginning, everything after is…" She shrugged.

"Hmm, that sounds about right."

Kyoko looked at her in puzzlement. "What do you mean?"

Sitting beside her upon the cot, Kanae said, "We were there for like an hour before you started to enjoy the eggnog a little too much."

"Eggnog?"

Kanae nodded. "You know, that creamy, peppermint drink in the tall crystal glass with the tinsel wrapped around it?"

Kyoko's eyes brightened in remembrance. She did remember that. During the party, there was a drink that was served around all night. Never having tried eggnog before, Kyoko reluctantly took a sip and to her pleasant surprise found the drink to be quite delicious. Not to mention the meticulous decoration only made it even more appealing to the young actress and thus prompted her to drink even more of it.

She suddenly furrowed her eyebrows and turned back to her stern friend. "What does the eggnog have anything to do with it?"

"Mo, the drink had alcohol in it."

Kyoko froze.

Snickering at her response, Kanae said, "I knew it. You forgot."

Kyoko dropped her leaden-shame-filled head into her hands. She couldn't believe how careless she was! Never once in her life had she ever drank that much alcohol. The occasional sip of wine and sake whenever she worked at the inn was really all the experience she had, but to think she drank to the point of being a drunk was horrendous!

"How…bad...was I?" she mumbled pathetically, not really wanting to know the answer at all.

Kanae scoffed. "How should I know? You disappeared shortly after."

Her head sprang up in surprise. "What?"

"Yeah, I lost track of you. You suddenly wandered off somewhere and I didn't see you until the very end of the party."

Kanae's eyes suddenly narrowed. "And to think, I was all concerned about you for nothing when you were just out having fun."

"Wait, what?" Kyoko said with another shake of her head. "What are you talking about, Moko-san?"

Then with an irritated huff, Kanae reached over the cot and grabbed Kyoko's pink cell phone lying upon the floor. Flipping the device open, she clicked a few buttons before looking at her friend sternly in the eye. Kyoko leaned back, somewhat fearful of what was going to come next. It couldn't possibly be good.

"I suggest you think long and hard about what happened, Kyoko, because I demand a damn good explanation."

"An explanation…for what, Moko-san?" she murmured hesitantly.

Kanae glared as she handed Kyoko the phone. "For this."

"OH MY GOD!"


	2. Chapter 2: Finding Answers

Greetings everyone! It's so good to hear from you all again and of course I want to thank you for all the encouraging reviews. I greatly appreciate the input and the interest you have in my new story. Hopefully I will meet your expectations! Please Read and Review!

(Also, I truly apologize for the misspelling in "Kijima's" name in the last chapter. _)

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

* * *

Unable to hold back, Ren let out a quiet chuckle and covered his mouth with his hand in hopes to hide the delight that was so clearly spelled out across his face. He didn't want to draw any unnecessary attention to himself, but the memory wouldn't leave him alone—not like he wanted it to. In fact, he wanted it to plague his mind forever so that it would act as a constant reminder that it really did happen.

A small smile curved at the corner of his lips as he recalled the expression on her sweet face, the hazy look in her amber eyes, and the deep blush upon her cheeks. It was a side of her he had never experienced before and a side he hoped to meet again. Although the situation was inappropriate at her expense, Ren couldn't deny his selfish wish for her to be that intoxicated once more.

Ren grinned widely and raised his head to the ceiling. Shaking his head in disbelief, he murmured, "I'm enjoying this way too much."

"How about letting me on the joke then?"

He turned towards the male voice and smiled up at his friend who suspiciously looked at him through clear spectacles. "I want to laugh too," Yashiro insisted as he took the seat across from him.

"How did it go with the director?" Ren asked nonchalantly, touching his fingertips together. "That took a while."

Yashiro glared. "Stop avoiding the question. You've been acting weird all day."

"What do you mean?"

"That!" Yashiro accused with an extended finger at Ren's now-surprised face. "You keep smiling to yourself! Even other people have noticed that you're happier than usual. What's going on?"

"Is it bad that I'm in a good mood, Yashiro?" Ren asked as he leaned back, flashing another innocent smile.

"No, but I would like to know why. What are you hiding from me?"

Chuckling, the calm actor replied, "There's nothing to hide. I'm just happy. Honestly Yashiro, does it bother you when there's nothing to worry about?"

"No, it bothers me when you leave me out of the loop."

Ren chuckled and brought his water bottle to his lips, shaking his head in amusement, but stubbornly remaining silent. It was a moment he didn't want to share with anyone, not only for her sake, but also for his own. It was a special memory that should only exist between him and her. Although, considering her state of mind last night, Ren figured she probably won't remember a wink of it.

But Yashiro refused to drop the subject so easily. Leaning forward with narrowed eyes and with both hands firmly placed upon the table top, he asked, "Did something happen at the Christmas party last night?"

Nearly choking on the water at his friend's astonishing wit, Ren straightened up and cleared his throat. "You were there, Yashiro," he dodged casually. "You tell me; did something happen?"

He crossed his arms. "Are you always this stubborn?"

Ren rolled his eyes in reply and looked over his friend's shoulder, avoiding his calculative gaze.

"It has something to do with Kyoko-chan, doesn't it?"

At the mention of her name, Ren felt another smile curve at the corner of his lips, but pretending to wipe his mouth with a napkin, he murmured, "What about her?"

"Oh please," Yashiro said in an exasperated voice. "You couldn't keep your eyes off of her all night."

This time, Ren couldn't help but drop the blasé act as he thought about how beautiful she looked. With just one look, she stole his breath away. The ruby gown hugged her in all the right places and the fact that she left her shoulders exposed nearly drove him insane. The protective part of him wanted to hide her away from the world, but the male part of him wanted nothing more than to run his fingers across her milky skin and—.

Ren groaned internally.

This was getting way out of hand.

And of course it didn't help that while she looked like a vixen, her adorable innocence forced him to behave. It was highly unfair. At times like these, Ren always wondered if she knew exactly what she was doing to him. With just one simple smile, she easily brought him to his knees. With just one tiny laugh, he would be reduced to nothing but a puddle of nerves. Did she understand the power she held over him at all?

But Ren wasn't the only one who noticed her obvious beauty. Plenty of the other men took notice and stuck to her like glue, especially Kijima. Although Ren wasn't one to act so childish, the need to shield her away from all heated gazes consumed him. He understood he always had a possessive side, but for those few hours it was as if his urges were intensified by a thousand. If it was up to him, Ren would have whisked her away for himself.

Ren sighed. _"Well, I sort of did that, didn't I?"_

"Speaking of Kyoko-chan, I'm surprised she isn't here today," Yashiro noted as he curiously turned around, as if expecting her to come running through LME's front doors. "She's not working today I suppose."

"I suppose," Ren repeated, covering his mouth with his hand once more.

Yashiro raised an eyebrow at his odd movement. "What?"

"What?"

"What do you know, Ren?"

"About what?"

"Kyoko-chan! You know why she isn't here, don't you? My goodness! What in the world happened last night?"

Chuckling at his friend's frustrated expression, he fluidly rose to his feet and said, "Yashiro, let's get going. This conversation is going nowhere and we have other appointments to meet, right?"

"We have plenty of time, Ren. There's no rush," Yashiro challenged with hard eyes.

"Actually, I think I might have to finish early tonight."

He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, surprised by his friend's answer. "Why do you say that?"

And at that precise moment, Ren felt his cell phone vibrate in his coat pocket. Already aware of whom it was, Ren smoothly pulled out the device and glanced at the new text message. This time, Ren didn't bother to hide his laugh. He had expected it since this morning.

"Ren?" Yashiro called. "Who is it?"

He smiled widely and shook his head. "Yeah, I definitely need to rush home tonight."

* * *

Closing her tired eyes, Kyoko leaned back against the smooth leather couch and pinched the bridge of her nose with two fingers. It was official. She was NEVER going to drink alcohol again. Nothing in the world could possibly make this torture worth it. Every noise, every flash of light, and every breath rattled her brain like an earthquake.

"Here you go, Mogami-san. This should help."

Peeking out of the corner of her eye, she saw her mentor's laughter filled eyes boring into her pained expression as he offered her a warm cup of tea. Although slightly annoyed by his obvious amusement, she was also grateful for his consideration and took the steaming mug out of his hand. "Thank you," she murmured, taking a tiny sip. It was delicious.

Ren smiled and gently sat down beside her. "I could have picked you up, Mogami-san. There was no need to take a cab."

Shaking her head, Kyoko replied, "The fact that I'm taking up your night is already rude enough, Tsuruga-san. A car ride would just be too much."

He shook his head with a smile. He would have told her that he already had hopes of seeing her tonight, but decided to remain silent. She was bothered enough as it was and it probably wouldn't help her nerves if he piled on more stress. So causally crossing his long legs, Ren asked, "I suppose there is a specific reason as to why you needed to see me?"

Kyoko put the cup down upon the coffee table and tentatively turned to face him. Feeling her heart throb at his gaze, she swallowed the heavy lump in her throat and said, "Tsuruga-san, I…"

She faltered and looked down at her shaking hands. This was a lot harder than she expected. She couldn't get herself to speak the horrid words because in all honesty, she didn't want to know what happened. Kyoko didn't need to know the details. It was just too much! But realizing she had no choice, she breathed in deeply and murmured, "Did I—?"

Kyoko suddenly let out a frustrated groan at her obvious reluctance and covered her face with her hands. She couldn't do it!

Ren flashed a tiny smile and leaned forward upon his knees, angling his head towards her. "You want to know what happened at the party."

She nodded, too humiliated to even steal a glance at him.

"Mogami-san, there's no need to be embarrassed," Ren reassured, trying with all his might to quell the chuckle that threatened to escape his lips.

Incredulous, Kyoko raised her head and cried, "No need to be embarrassed? Tsuruga-san, I was drunk! And what's worse, I—!"

She choked on her words and dropped her face into her hands once more.

"You probably didn't know there was so much alcohol in the drink, Mogami-san. It's a mistake anyone could have made."

"That's no excuse," she mumbled.

Tenderly tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, Ren said, "It's not an excuse. It's the reason why."

Touched by his outright kindness, Kyoko raised her eyes and nearly drowned in his gentle expression. This man could get her to believe practically anything. And if she didn't feel so intensely guilty about what she did, Kyoko might have dropped the matter entirely. But feeling her phone sitting in the back pocket of her jeans, she gave a quick shake of her head and got to her feet.

"Tsuruga-san, I really can't recall a single thing that happened last night."

"I suspect not," he answered with a grin.

Kyoko glared and placed both hands upon her hips. "This isn't funny, Tsuruga-san! You know what I did!"

"I never said it was funny," he answered, trying with all his might to wipe the laughter from his eyes, but failing miserably.

"You're laughing at me!" Kyoko accused indignantly.

Raising both hands in sincere surrender, Ren replied in earnest, "I would never, Mogami-san! I swear; I find no amusement in your distress."

"Liar," she mumbled none-too-quietly under her breath.

Ren chuckled. "Alright, maybe it's…_somewhat_ amusing," he admitted. "But can you really blame me though, Mogami-san? It was a side of you I have never seen before."

"Nevertheless, you shouldn't be amused! Especially not after what I did to you!"

This time, Ren couldn't help but feel the heat rush straight to his face as the memory came rushing back like a floodgate. Kyoko, however, misinterpreted the intense look in his brown eyes and instead said, "See! You're bothered by it too!"

"Trust me, Mogami-san," Ren answered in a huskier voice than intended. "I was not bothered by it all."

Huffing in disbelief, she plopped herself down upon the seat beside him and grumbled, "Fine, continue lying to me. You're just trying to make me feel better and it won't work, Tsuruga-san."

Ren shook his head warily. He had never once met a girl who was so oblivious as to what he was trying to do. How could he possibly make his intentions any clearer without outright confessing?

"Tsuruga-san," Kyoko suddenly called.

Ren turned back to her, seeing the anxiety in her face.

"I really need to know."

Then reaching into her back pocket, Kyoko pulled out her cell phone and flipped the glowing screen open. She breathed in deeply through her nose as she stared at the incriminating image. She had to get this over with. No matter how horrible the story, no matter how agitated she would get, she desperately needed to know EXACTLY how this problem unfurled.

"Mogami-san?"

Kyoko faced him with intense determination. "You promise to tell me the whole truth, Tsuruga-san?"

"About what?" he asked innocently.

She narrowed her golden eyes and swiftly turned the phone towards him. Ren stared at the bright, glowing picture and felt his heart pound mercilessly in his chest as she demanded in a trembling voice, "How I came to kiss you that night?"


	3. Chapter 3: The Night in Question

Merry Christmas Eve everyone! I hope you all have been having a wonderful holiday so far. I sincerely want to thank everyone who has read and reviewed this story and I can't tell you enough how much I appreciate the feedback. Thanks again! Please Read and Review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

* * *

_Ren could feel the muscles in his cheeks straining to keep that same smile plastered upon his face. Usually, he wouldn't mind greeting other people at an event like this, but his focus kept drifting. At times when he could afford it, he would quickly sweep his eyes across the glittery dance floor in search of her orange hair, but he always came up short. Ren hadn't seen her for over an hour. Where in the world could she be? _

"Was my compliment too forward?"_ he thought with an inward frown. He didn't mean to over-step any boundaries. At that moment, it was the only statement that seemed to perfectly describe just how breath-taking she looked, but now that he thought about it, maybe he should have just complimented her dress instead._

_Of course, Ren wouldn't have been so bothered by her disappearance if Kijima wasn't missing either. He didn't see his flirtatious co-actor anywhere and that was already twisting his stomach into knots. The last time Kijima and Kyoko were together, the daring play-boy practically claimed her as his own. Scowling at the thought, Ren bowed politely to the group of girls who were still engrossed in the topic of his latest movie and excused himself for a drink._

_Without waiting for a response, he elegantly maneuvered his way through the crowd and stepped out of the ballroom. Once he was a few feet away from the entrance, the rabble of music and chatter died down until he could only hear the echo of his own footsteps. In the safety of the moon-lit halls, Ren dropped the mask and roughly ran a hand through his hair. _

_It was beyond foolish of him to be so frustrated. He had no evidence whatsoever that Kyoko was avoiding him, but knowing her, he was certain that it was at least part of her intentions. Not only that, but with the way she was dressed, he was practically dying with concern. If she were to cross paths with a stranger tonight, what man in his right mind would just leave her be when she was so obviously alone and without a date?_

_Although Ren was more than aware that his intentions weren't as pure and innocent as they should be either, at least he had enough restraint to hold back…for now._

_Agitated, he was about to make a swift turn down the hall when a door suddenly swung open just a few feet before him. His eyes widen in surprise when the girl in question stumbled out, nearly tripping on the train of her gown. _

_She giggled and gripped the door behind her, pressing her body against the heavy wooden frame until it closed shut. _

"_Mogami-san?"_

_At the sound of her name, Kyoko looked up and turned in his direction. She broke into a bright smile and did a little wave with her hand as she squealed, "Hi Tsuruga-san!"_

"_Hello…" he greeted uncertainly, noticing how excited she was to see him—TOO excited, in fact. "What are you doing?"_

_Kyoko giggled again and shook her head vigorously. Then putting a finger to her pink lips, she whispered, "Shhh! It's a secret," before bursting into another fit of giggles._

_By now, Ren was highly concerned. Kyoko was acting odd, even by her own terms. Daring to walk closer, he saw the flush of her pale skin and the heavy-lidded look of her normally alert eyes. She was obviously having some difficulty standing since she was gripping the doorknob with dear life, but the smile upon her lips made it seem as if she was just having innocent fun._

"_Mogami-san," he began slowly, "are you…drunk?"_

_HICCUP!_

"_Of course not!" she insisted with another exaggerated flail of her hand. "I don't—" HICCUP! "—drink, Tsuruga-san! You're funny!"_

_Ren smiled widely. _

_From a night that seemed to be going downhill, it couldn't have possibly gotten any better. It was perfect. Actually, it was more than perfect, because now the gloves were off. His sweet, perfect Kyoko was drunk and she was drunk BAD. So drunk, as a matter of fact, that she completely lost that stiff formality around him and was now 100% care-free._

_He stepped closer and reached out a large hand. "Mogami-san, would you like some help?" Ren offered fearlessly._

_And just like he expected, she flashed a bright smile in reply and accepted his hand without a single complaint. _

_Ren smiled back, unable to hold the joy in his face, as he pulled her to a full standing position. "Mogami-san, how about we go back to the party together?" he asked with amused eyes. "Let's go see what the others are up to."_

_Kyoko adorably furrowed her eyebrows and asked in a slurred voice, "Why? I like it out here with you."_

_Dear lord, she was toying with him. Ren would have wanted nothing more than to keep her here for himself, but knowing that the proper course of action would be to get her back to Kotonami-san, he only smiled patiently and replied, "Is there a specific reason as to why you want to be out here?"_

_Motioning him closer, Ren obediently leaned forward and nearly felt his heart jump out of his chest when she smoothly wrapped both arms around his neck. "I'm looking for something," Kyoko whispered into his ear. _

_Ren gulped and in the steadiest voice he could muster, stammered, "W-w-what are you looking for?"_

_She giggled and leaned back until their faces were only a few inches a part. "I told you, it's a secret."_

"_Then shall we look for it together?" he whispered, his hands shaking with the desire to close the short distance between them. Oh God, it would have been easy. _

_Kyoko pursed her lips in thought, but with another smile, she nodded and said, "Okay!" _

_Ren sighed in relief. The normal Kyoko would have refused on the spot, believing that she would only be a nuisance. But a drunken Kyoko clearly wasn't plagued by such formalities. And Ren couldn't help but be in awe at how…clear-minded she was. Sure, her personality turned a complete 180 and she wasn't nearly as poised as before, but she could still function. _

"Absolutely unbelievable,"_ he thought with a silent chuckle as he asked, "Alright Mogami-san, where do you want to start?"_

_Turning her head this way and that, she finally focused on the large windows behind them and exclaimed, "There!"_

_Ren turned around. "Outside?" he asked skeptically._

"_Yes!" she insisted, tugging on his hand and nearly falling over her long dress again. Thankfully, Ren caught her just in time and pulled her to his chest. She glanced up at him and grinned. "I want to go outside!"_

_She was acting like a little kid, a kid who clearly did not understand how dangerous her womanly antics were right now. Ren's well-practiced self-control was barely hanging on by a thread. Any more of this and he was sure to let the chips fall wherever they may. But determinedly holding onto whatever gentleman-like manners he had left, Ren slipped out of his jacket and draped the coat over her shoulders._

"_Alright then, outside it is."_

_Giggling with glee, Kyoko allowed an amused Ren to wrap a protective arm around her shoulder and carefully lead her to the exit. Once they were out the back door, their breaths came out in wispy smoke as the chill night air envelopedtheir bodies. Kyoko, however, didn't seem to mind because she made her way towards the brightly lit garden that was strung with twinkling lights and baubles. The soothing gurgle of a nearby water fountain and the sweet smell of pine greeted the couple as they walked under the archway._

"_Are you sure it'll be out here, Mogami-san?" Ren asked, concerned about the bitter cold._

"_Yeah! It'll have a chance to spread its wings!"_

"_Wings?" he repeated out loud. _"Is she looking for a bird?"

_But Kyoko had already wandered away and was looking behind the rose bushes. Smiling gently, Ren followed behind her a few steps, keeping a close enough distance to jump to the rescue if needed, but far enough to admire her without disturbing her search. He matched her every stumble with a silent step of his own until he waited patiently under the twinkling lights. The smile that graced his lips would have brought every girl within a five foot radius to their knees, but the one girl who mattered didn't raise her head at all. She was too engrossed in her mission._

_Chuckling, Ren cleared his throat and asked, "Any luck?"_

_She turned around and replied with a smile, "Not y—!"_

_Kyoko suddenly stopped._

_Ren raised an eyebrow at her pause and asked, "Mogami-san? What's wrong?"_

_Then with growing-amber eyes, she whispered under her breath, "I found you..."_

"_I'm sorry?"_

_Kyoko smiled slowly. "Fairy…"_

_Ren froze._

_But she didn't notice his stiff response. She was too busy looking at his face and the beautiful golden light that circled his body like a halo. His handsome features and the heavenly grace he displayed were all tell-tale signs that he couldn't be from this world. Kyoko smiled tenderly and said, "I can't believe I didn't see it before."_

_Ren couldn't have been any more nervous. The fact that she said fairy was too much of a coincidence. Did she really know? Did she finally figure it out?_

"_Mogami-san," he began in panic, "I can expl—"_

"_OH!"_

_Ren jumped in surprise, exclaiming, "WHAT? What's wrong?"_

"_Picture!" Kyoko cried. "PICTURE! I have to take a picture! That way, I'll find you again!" Then reaching into a pocket that Ren could have sworn she conjured from midair, she pulled out her pink cell phone and flipped it open._

_She laughed in excitement as she moved forward. "I can't believe I actually fou—!"_

_And stumbling over that insufferable train once again, Kyoko would have hit the damp floor if it wasn't for Ren's quick reaction. He swiftly reached out both arms and cradled her body to his as he took the brute of the fall. Kyoko landed on his chest with a thump, her cell phone in one hand and the other pressed against his shoulder._

"_Mogami-san!" Ren asked worriedly. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?"_

_She shook her head. "No, I'm…"_

_Kyoko fell silent again as she causally raised her eyes to his concerned expression. Ren watched in amazement as her usual blush crept onto her already stained cheeks, but this time around, she didn't run. She remained on top of his body and murmured, "Wow…"_

_Ren completely froze up. She was too close—too close for her own good. If she moved any closer, there was no telling what he might do. But to his intense surprise, she suddenly lifted a finger and traced a trail down the bridge of his nose._

"_You're perfect," she said in quiet wonder._

_Ren felt the heat rush straight to his face. So this was what it felt like to be on the receiving end. It was no wonder Kyoko couldn't stand to be in the same room with him after he dropped comments like that. The embarrassment was flooding through his veins like a river. But before Ren could disagree, Kyoko suddenly looked down at her cell and mumbled, "Oh yeah. I wanted to take a picture."_

_She met his wide-eyed gaze again._

"_Can I?"_

_Ren nodded helplessly, his voice lodged in the middle of his throat._

_Then with a sensual smile, Kyoko raised her cell phone to his face and held it in position. But instead of pushing the camera button, she suddenly leaned closer until they were only an inch apart. _

"_Mogami-san?" Ren breathed confusedly, his heart hammering painfully against his chest. _

_She blushed. "There's something I've always wanted to try…"_

_Ren arched a perfect eyebrow, murmuring in a low voice, "Try…what?"_

_And in one smooth movement, Kyoko suddenly looked down at his lips. Ren knew what she meant in an instant. He should have backed away. He should have broken her out of her spell. He should have stopped her. Kyoko didn't know what she was doing. She wasn't herself._

_But he couldn't. As soon as he saw her inch closer, Ren couldn't fight it anymore. As soon as his vision blurred, Ren knew there was no going back. And like the coolest winter breeze, the smoothest satin, the sweetest nectar, he felt her press her lips gently against his own. _

_Click!_

* * *

"Tsuruga-san?"

Ren blinked a few times before he finally realized that Kyoko was staring at him. "Aren't you going to say anything?" she asked with a tilt of her head.

He stared back at her, feeling his oddly warm lips tingle. And with a heart pounding so intensely, Ren watched Kyoko's nervous expression slowly melt into concern. She hesitantly leaned forward and whispered, "Tsuruga-san? Was it really that bad?"

Ren suddenly let out a chuckle.

Kyoko's eyes widen in surprise as her mentor's gaze changed.

Then in a swift movement that she would have never predicted, he swiftly reached out for her slender wrist and pulled her on top of him. Firmly pressed against his solid body, Kyoko was about to raise herself up when he suddenly wrapped a hand around her neck.

Holding her frozen in place, Ren's eyes gleamed up at her as he murmured in a dangerously low voice, "Are you sure, Mogami-san?"

Kyoko stared back helplessly as his angelic lips curved into the most seductive smile.

"Shall I show you _exactly_ what happened?"


	4. Chapter 4: The Fairy's Promise

Happy almost New Year everyone! I hope you all had a marvelous Christmas with your friends and family. Once again, thank you for the positive reviews and support. It was a great gift! :D I hope you like this chapter as much as the rest! Please Read and Review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

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There were only two things that registered within Kyoko's mind. One: she had to breathe. Two: she needed to reply. Any word would do, any word at all. Because the longer she stared into his large brown eyes, the more she was drowning, drowning into something she knew she wouldn't be able to pull herself out of. She had to speak!

Ren, whose sensual smile hadn't changed, gently curled his longer fingers around her smooth neck and murmured, "We were just like this."

Kyoko's eyes widen, her body trembling from the deep, seductive tremor of his voice.

"Just this close, just this intimate," he whispered softly. "There was no one in the garden except for us. I remember the feel of the cool grass pressing into my back, the sounds of cold water falling onto stone, the golden glow from the lights above us."

Ren then raised his other hand and brushed his fingers across her frozen lips. Kyoko's heart lurched in her chest as he continued, "But the one thing I remember most is you."

She took in a shaky breath, dreading the humiliating words that would follow.

Ren must have noticed her change in mood because he suddenly cupped her blushing cheek within his hand and smiled gently. "It was freezing outside. I was quite worried about you. But no matter the temperature, no matter how much your body trembled, your cheeks were still stained this beautiful crimson."

His gaze softened. "Your eyes were somewhat glazed over, but your lips were curved into the most angelic smile, as if there was nothing in the world that could ever go wrong. I was completely entranced."

Kyoko had the strongest urge to lower her head, away from his penetrating gaze, but he held her so firmly that she could only stare deeply into his heated eyes. The feeling of his smooth skin against hers burned like fire and it was as if he was the only anchor holding her to reality—even when this moment felt absolutely surreal. She was very aware of what kind of position she was in, but the will to move had escaped her. Ren was just everywhere.

Then with barely a feather's touch, he rubbed his thumb across her cheek and murmured, "I think a part of me knew that it was bound to happen, but I didn't bother to stop it."

Kyoko swallowed the heavy lump in her throat and closed her eyes shut. "Is that when…?"

He smiled and nodded. "I kissed you."

"Oh my god….Tsuruga-san, I'm so—"

She suddenly wrenched her eyes open in surprise. "Wait, what?"

Ren's smiled broadened at her dumbstruck expression as he asked, "Yes?"

"W-w-w-what did you say?"

"I kissed you."

"You…kissed me?" she repeated reluctantly, her eyes now the size of golden baseballs as she tried to find the lie within his calm expression.

"Yes."

Kyoko couldn't believe it. It couldn't be true. Then without thinking about it, she leaned back into a sitting position until she was comfortably straddling his hips. Ren stayed where he was, watching her eyes flicker with confusion.

"I didn't kiss you?" Kyoko whispered.

Shaking his head, Ren replied, "No, you didn't."

"Then why is there a picture on _my_ phone?"

Ren laughed, casually running his hand through his hair. "Mogami-san, in your state of mind, did you really think it would be hard for me to convince you to take your phone out so I could snap a shot?"

Kyoko moved her head back and forth vigorously. "Hold on! This doesn't make any sense! Why—?"

She stopped.

Then feeling the heat rush straight to her face, she tried again in a quiet murmur, "Why would you kiss me, Tsuruga-san?"

Ren's eyes glinted dangerously. "Do you really want to know the answer to that question, Mogami-san?" he answered in a low voice.

She froze, feeling her heart constrict tightly in her chest.

Ren suddenly exhaled and stared at her with a thoughtful expression. "I wonder, Mogami-san," he began slowly. "How is it that you see me?"

"What do you mean?" she murmured.

Ren's eyes darkened. Then in a fluid motion, he swiftly sat up until both of her hands naturally went to his chest, eliciting a small gasp from her lips. Pressing their bodies together, he wrapped a powerful arm around her waist and whispered, "Right now, what am I to you?"

Kyoko bit down on her lip, painfully aware of their intimacy. But forcing herself to breathe, she replied, "You're my senior, Tsuruga-san."

"Your senior and your mentor, am I right?"

Kyoko nodded helplessly.

Deliberately slow, Ren suddenly leaned forward until their foreheads touched, his dark eyes boring deeply into her amber gaze. Then in a voice for her ears only, he murmured under his breath, "But there is one factor you must never forget, Mogami-san."

She blinked confusedly.

Ren's eyes gleamed. "That I'm also a man with only so much self-restraint."

Her body shivered unconsciously. His words slithered through her veins, casting a flame to all of her nerves. She instinctively gripped the fabric of his shirt tighter within her tiny fist, trying with all her might to get back to the ground. Although she should be afraid of the words that escaped his lips, Kyoko realized that it wasn't fear that had clamped her mouth shut. It was something else entirely, something she shouldn't be feeling at all.

Ren's gaze softened. He knew he was reaching the edge of his limit. His hands nearly shook with the desire to go onward, to take this to the level he so desperately wanted. In the position he was in, he could have easily push her onto her back, press her body into the couch, and let the events unfurl. But that wasn't why he lied.

He lied because he didn't want her to be ashamed. He lied because he wanted to give her peace of mind. But more importantly, he lied so that she would understand that their kiss was shared as a man and woman, and nothing else.

But noticing that she hadn't moved at all in the last couple of minutes, Ren gently released her and leaned back until there was sufficient space between them. "Let this be a lesson to you, Mogami-san," he began in his usual, professional tone, "that not everyone has the purest intentions even while you do."

"And you?" she whispered.

Ren felt the beast inside him stir in eagerness. She asked, didn't she? Shouldn't he show her? But firmly reigning himself back, he only flashed a small, controlled smile and said, "If you could see yourself through my eyes, you would understand that even I'm not immune to your charms."

Kyoko blushed beet red. What in the world did she become when she was drunk?

"However, that still doesn't excuse me for what I did," Ren said with a shake of his head. "Therefore, I sincerely apologize for causing you such distress, Mogami-san."

Grateful now that they were on a topic she felt better control of, Kyoko crossly stared at the man before her and said, "So why did you take a picture?"

Ren chuckled amusedly and replied, "As proof."

She arched an eyebrow.

"To show you that your antics, whether you meant them or not, are incredibly dangerous."

"Well you don't have to worry, Tsuruga-san," Kyoko began stubbornly, "Because I will never drink a sip of alcohol ever again."

"Does this mean I'm forgiven?"

"Of course not! You took advantage of me!"

"Like I said before, Mogami-san…"

Ren smiled brightly.

"…I'm only but a man."

Then like a bolt of lightning, Kyoko suddenly realized she was still straddling his hips and with a start, she jumped off of his lap and stood a couple of feet away. Her heart was pounding a mile a minute and her hands shook violently. But as soon as she moved, Kyoko couldn't ignore the fact that she did indeed miss his warmth.

And in those few quick seconds, Kyoko finally saw Ren for who he really was: a man, a man who dominates, a man who was so much more than she had ever anticipated, and even more worryingly, a man who could completely undo her in seconds.

Elegantly, Ren swung his legs over the side of the couch and looked at her wide-eyed expression. He smoothly cleared his throat, pulling her focus back to the present, and said with an apologetic smile, "I really do apologize, Mogami-san. You have every right to be mad."

Kyoko bit down on her lower lip. She should be mad. She should be fuming by now. But she wasn't. She wasn't mad at him at all. In fact, as she stared at him, being mad was the last thing Kyoko felt. So with a defeated sigh, she sunk back down on the couch beside him and mumbled, "It wouldn't have happened if I wasn't drunk."

Ren smiled gratefully, eliciting a smile from her in response. But as if she realized what she was doing, Kyoko instantly narrowed her eyes and said, "That doesn't mean you're off the hook though."

"I know. That's why I took the liberty of ordering in dinner tonight."

"When did you do that?" Kyoko asked in surprise.

"I had it planned beforehand. I knew you would demand an explanation from me sooner or later."

She clicked her tongue and picked up her open cell phone from off the floor. "Now the matter about the picture."

And at that precise moment, the doorbell rang, signaling the arrival of their food. Ren fluidly got to his feet and said over his shoulder, "I figure you would want to delete it, right?" He chuckled and unlatched the lock.

"_I should,"_ Kyoko thought with a puzzled frown. But instead of hitting delete, instead of erasing all proof of that still-fuzzy night, she had only snapped her pink cell shut and helped him with the take-out, leaving the picture as is.

* * *

"_Mogami-san?" Ren whispered, barely a breath away from her lips._

_Slowly, she moved back and met his eyes with a heavy-lidded gaze of her own. "Yes?"_

"_Do you know what you just did?"_

_Kyoko smiled and nodded. "I kissed you."_

"_Why?"_

_Giggling breathlessly, she said, "Because I've always wanted to know what it was like to kiss someone like you."_

"_Someone like me?" Ren inquired with a raised eyebrow. "What do you mean?"_

_She snuggled closer to his broad chest and closed her eyes. "Someone not of this world, someone who's different from everyone else, someone who's perfect in so many ways."_

_Ren laughed gently, running his hand through her silky hair, something he had always dreamt of doing. "I'm not perfect," he murmured into the quiet darkness._

_But Kyoko didn't reply. Confused, Ren was about to ask if anything was wrong when he noticed how her breathing was becoming more and more even and how relaxed she was. Tenderly, he stroked a hand down her arm and whispered, "Are you falling sleep, Mogami-san?"_

"_Hmm…"_

_He chuckled quietly. "Shall I carry you back then?"_

"_As long as you promise not to leave," she sighed, tightening her grip on his shirt as if he'd vanish._

"_Leave where?"_

"_Back to your world, back to where I can't find you."_

_Ren smiled gently. "I won't leave you, Mogami-san."_

"_Promise?"_

And at that moment, Ren suddenly woke with a start. Highly confused by the intrusion, he was about to get up when he surprisingly felt a warm, comforting weight upon his shoulder. He turned his head to the side and nearly felt his heart stutter to a halt. It was Kyoko and she was completely fast asleep. Glancing about the room he noticed the empty take-out boxes upon the coffee table, the lights somewhat dimmed, and the television glowing from the currently playing movie.

He smiled.

"_Dinner and a movie? I should have thought of this a while ago,"_ he thought amusedly to himself as he nestled deeper into the couch. If this was all it took to prolong her stay with him, he will gladly do this all the time. But uninterested in whatever that was playing, Ren returned his gaze back to her face.

As always, his heart thumped warmly merely from her presence and his skin burned hot from where she was leaning against him. Her hands were clasped together and her hair was casually splayed across her closed eyes. She was beautiful. Ren smiled and was about to brush the strands away from her face when she suddenly mumbled in a sleepy voice,

"Corn…"

Ren's hand froze in mid-air.

"Don't leave…"

His eyes softened. "I won't leave you."

She sweetly nestled her head deeper into his broad shoulder. "Promise?"

He smiled gently and nodded. "I promise." Ren then pressed his lips against her forehead, murmuring, "Shall I carry you back now?"

But this time around, Kyoko didn't answer. She had already fallen too deep into her slumber.

He laughed silently and with a grace that would have put all dancers to shame, cradled her warm body to his chest as he rose to his feet. Although a part of him desperately wanted to carry her into his bedroom, he understood that would be pushing the boundaries too far. Besides, with her in his bed, there was no telling what might happen.

Thus, he was grateful to feel the weight of his car keys in his trouser pocket. It was a good reminder as to what he _should_ do. Ren then carefully unlocked the front door and stepped into the hall. Instinctively, he glanced down again at the peaceful woman nestled comfortably in his arms.

He sighed heavily, finding himself in the same situation as the night before. "Kotonami-san will not be pleased."

But with one last tender smile, Ren silently strode to the private garage and held the woman he loved closer, relishing in another beautiful night he knew he would cherish and remember forever.

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**The End! Thank you for reading, reviewing, following, and favoriting! I can't appreciate it enough! :D**


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